Riley Weston Sunday will open up for Montgomery Gentry at the Mid-Hudson Civic Center.

Riley Weston grew up in Dutchess County, graduated from Arlington High School and is now a singer-songwriter living in Nashville, Tenn.

Weston on Sunday will open up for Montgomery Gentry at the Mid-Hudson Civic Center in Poughkeepsie.

Weston's journey home follows a career of creative expression that includes living in Los Angeles, working as an actress and writing screenplays and a book.

Tickets for the Montgomery Gentry show cost $37.50 for reserved seating. Doors open at 6 p.m. Showtime is 7 p.m. The Mid-Hudson Civic Center is at 14 Civic Center Plaza, Poughkeepsie. Visit www.midhudsonciviccenter.com or call 845-454-5800 for information.

Weston this week took some time to answer questions about her career and songwriting:

1 - What do you enjoy about writing music?

I love taking a story and telling it in less than 3 and-a-half minutes. It's an amazing feeling to have written something and know it somehow has helped someone get through a hard time, or bring them back to a certain time in their lives.

2 -What do you enjoy about performing music for an audience?

I love the interaction with folks. To hear an audience sing along with a song you've written is one of the best feelings.

3 - Can you describe Nashville for folks who have never been there? What's it like?

Nashville is a great, big, small town. The people there are some of the most amazing and kind people I've ever met. The "city" part of it is not too big, making it an awesome combination of city and town.

4 - What inspires you as a songwriter?

You name it: a sign in a store, something I overhear waiting in the post office, a line from a movie. And then there's always the real life experiences. For instance, I have a song called "I Get the Dog," based on me getting "custody" of my old dog. In a relationship that ends, someone has to get the dog. It took four years, but I did get the dog.

5 - What was it like living in Los Angeles and being an actress?

I love taking a character on a page and bringing her to life. Again, it's the reaction from others that I love - that a character was relatable, or somehow helped them in their own lives.

6 - What do you enjoy about creative expression?

I honestly don't know what I would ever do without being able to do what I do, on every level. Whether I am singing, or writing songs, movies, or a book, or acting. Creative expression literally keeps me breathing.

7 - Does opening for Montgomery Gentry at the Mid-Hudson Civic Center in Poughkeepsie hold any special meaning for you because you grew up in Dutchess County?

Yes - absolutely. I've been very fortunate and played a number of amazing places. This is a very special night, as I am a huge fan of Montgomery Gentry and have been for years. To be able to open up for guys I respect and genuinely like is beyond awesome. To do so in my hometown is extraordinary.

8 - What advice would you offer to an up-and-coming songwriter hoping to make it big?

Too many to name. I am attracted to songwriters who say something; meaning, not just writing about tailgates, trucks and beer. Don't get me wrong. I do have songs that are fun, and a few about beer, but I am more influenced by the songs with substance.